Whispers
by Bristol
Summary: When Caleb kisses Will, Cornelia is devastated. But what if Caleb is devastated, too? Things are whirling out of control, and no one knows who to trust. Will love find a way? CxC Rated T to be safe.. [Chapter 5 up!]
1. Broken

Cornelia sat in a large oak tree, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders as her once vibrant eyes were now dull and only shone because of the tears that threatened to slide down her cheeks. She would not let them, of course, as she couldn't let it get to her.. She couldn't.

She suddenly heard footsteps, and swiftly wiped away her tears and stole a glance over her shoulder, but to her surprise, it was Caleb. Her eyes widened and she refused to let herself be seen in such a state, and blinked a couple times and attempted to hide her tears by giving a half-hearted smile.

Caleb saw through it, she realized, and she looked away. She was a good three or four feet higher then him, as she sat on one of the sturdy branches. She ignored him for a few moments, before she realized he was climbing the tree.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to sit next to you." Caleb said, as though it were an incredibly obvious fact. Cornelia didn't answer, she only looked away. After a moment, true to his word, Caleb was sitting next to her.

"I'm sorry.. about what happened.. earlier." How could he? How could he just come over and act like it was something he could just apologize for. Why did it seem to not bother him? Oh, right. He didn't care about her, he loved Will. He didn't love her.

Tears leapt to the Earth Guardian's eyes, and she flicked her wrist to make the branch bend down and let her off, but she let it recoil like a rubber band, causing Caleb's shoulder to slam into the tree trunk.

"What did you do that for?" Caleb asked, clutching his shoulder. Cornelia didn't answer, and continued walking forward, she looked at a vibrantly colored flower that reflected the light of the sunset, and touched it with her finger, causing it to wilt and it's color faded. Cornelia sighed, and stood still for a moment, before walking away.

-Caleb POV-

Caleb felt that Cornelia had gotten it all wrong! He didn't love Will, the kiss had meant nothing to him. He didn't even know why he did it, and he hated himself for it. He stared at the Earth Guardian as she caused the flower to wilt, and he wanted to run and hold her in his arms, he wanted to make everything okay again. But he couldn't, he felt so weak that it sickened himself. Why did a girl make him feel this way? He raked his hand through his dark hair in self-disgust, the pain in his shoulder becoming a distant throb, but he didn't care.

He leapt from the branch of the tree, and walked over to the flower, and pulled it gently from the ground, before he held it in his hands. He looked at it, before letting the wind carry the frail flower away.


	2. Disbelief

The Guardians floated a bit off the ground, as Will finished off their enemy.

Caleb rushed to meet them, though for some reason his gaze was locked on the Earth Guardian who remained a short distance away, as though avoiding anything and everyone.

Will walked shyly to him, about to touch his arm but Caleb pulled away, he frowned at her before looking to where Cornelia had been, but now she was gone. Confused, he was frozen, even when Will tried to pull him towards her again.

"**I'm sorry, Will, I just.. it was a mistake.. What happened.. was a mistake."** He said, looking at her. Her face fell and tears leapt to her eyes, and she backed away.

"**How can you say it was a mistake!? The kiss.. it didn't mean **_**anything**_** to you?"** Will said, but before he could try to reply, she flew away, and was closely followed by her fellow guardians.

Caleb sighed heavily and looked at his feet.

--

"**It was you! You took him! You made him decide that he hated me instead!"**

"**You kissed him before we were even split up! I never tried to make him leave you!" **Cornelia shouted. **"Not that I wouldn't have minded you guys splitting up." **She then mumbled.

"**You!" **Will was about to rush at her but Hay Lin held her back.

"**You guys need to quit fighting!" **She said, looking at them.

"**I'm.. Sorry." **Cornelia mumbled towards Will.

"**You should be."**

"**I never tried to make him leave you!" **

"**Liar!"**

Cornelia stared at Will, before turning and walking away. Gradually, her pace quickened into a full-fledged run.

"**Cornelia! Wait!" **Hay Lin shouted, but she was left alone with Taranee and Irma, as Will and Cornelia went their separate ways.

"**Will **_**did**_** kiss Caleb when Caleb was still with Cornelia." **Taranee said quietly.

"**You're siding with Cornelia?"**

"**I'm not siding with **_**anybody.**_** I'm just saying." **Taranee defended, looking at Irma for a moment. **"But I do disagree with Will."**

--

Cornelia sat against the trunk of a large tree, playing with the grasses, making them grow taller and then shortening them. She touched the dirt and caused a flower to grow, and she felt calm. She did not think, yet she was lost in her own world. The flower grew more vibrant, and the petals glimmered in the morning sunlight.

"**It's a beautiful morning." **A voice shook her from her thoughts, and Cornelia leapt to her feet, as though preparing to defend herself as she looked at Caleb with narrowed eyes.

"**What do **_**you**_** want?" **Cornelia glared at him, crossing her arms.

"**I.." **Caleb faltered for a moment, and Cornelia felt slightly satisfied at that, though was convinced he was merely toying with her. **"I still.. Will was a mistake! I never meant to kiss her! It was.. I don't know what it was." **When Cornelia only looked at him accusingly, he sighed. **"What I'm trying to say.. is.. I.. I love **_**you **_**Cornelia! Not Will. She's a friend, she's helped the rebels a lot, but I don't love her… I love you, Cornelia." **

Cornelia remained silent, studying him for a moment.

"**I don't believe you." **She said, flipping her hair and walking away, her chin raising slightly as she left Caleb alone beneath the shade of a large oak tree.

_She doesn't.. believe.. me..?_


	3. Together again

Caleb sat against the trunk of the tree for a long time, feeling almost angry that Cornelia had passed off his words like nothing. Didn't she understand the fact it had taken up so much of his courage just to say those words? Did she not care about him? Had he fallen in love with the wrong girl? Maybe he and Cornelia just weren't meant to be, he decided silently in his head. He was so lost in his own little thoughts, he hadn't noticed Hay Lin leaning against the tree and watching him with a grin.

"**What do you want?" **He asked, annoyed that she was grinning when inside he felt like he had been torn to a thousand pieces.

"**Cornelia loves you." **Hay Lin said, her grin fading slightly. **"I think she just doesn't think you love her enough."**

"**She doesn't love me, why would she just run off like nothing matters?" **Caleb sighed, slumping down a little, annoyed that he was being reduced to.. to.. to this. He felt like he was being treated poorly, and decided he shouldn't need a _girl's _advice when it came to love. He was much more manly then that, he decided. But still, he didn't move.

"**You did kiss Will, and you know that Will and Cornelia are already on less then good terms at the moment." **Hay Lin said. **"I think you should give Cornelia time, she'll figure it out for herself." **

"**Well.. Alright."** Caleb hesitated, before standing. **"Do you know where Blunk went?" **

"**Junkyard."**

"**Ah, alright. Thanks." **Caleb said, before walking towards the junkyard, in search of Blunk.

--

Cornelia was stretched out on her bed, typing on her laptop computer. Currently, she was IMing Hay Lin.

**CorneliaHale: **hi hay.

**HayLinnish: **cornelia! just the person i wanted to talk to:)

**CorneliaHale: **rly?

**HayLinnish: **ya. i talked to caleb 2day

**CorneliaHale: **y?

**HayLinnish: **o nothing rly.

**CorneliaHale: …**

**HayLinnish: **i think u should give him another chance

**CorneliaHale: **if thats all ur gonna say then im going to log off.

**HayLinnish: **sry!

**HayLinnish: **but i think ur being rly hard on urself and him

**CorneliaHale signed off at 4:14 PM.**

Cornelia had closed her laptop and stared at it for a really long time. She flicked her wrist and then it was under her bed, buried under a couple things. She crossed her arms and looked around, feeling quite bad for being like that to Hay Lin. She just really did not want to talk about Caleb right now.

Cornelia sighed and looked down, before getting up and going out the door, after telling her mom she was going on a walk – which she was. She walked down the sidewalk path, looking around.

She walked for a long time, beginning to lose track of time as she was lost in her thoughts. She suddenly felt like she was being followed, and turned her head as her gaze scanned the street. She didn't _see _anything out of the ordinary. She frowned for a moment before shrugging the feeling off and continuing on her walk.

"_Okay. Seriously, someone has to be following me!" _Cornelia thought, whirling around and seeing a shape duck behind a car. Cornelia hesitated, some thoughts telling her to run, the others saying to check it out. She walked briskly across the street, ducking her head around the side of the car, only to see Caleb giving her an innocent grin and scratching the back of his neck.

"**Were you **_**stalking **_**me?!" **Cornelia asked crossly, her arms folding across her chest.

"**I.. er.. No!" **Caleb said, the grin fading as his own expression became somewhat cross.

"**Then what is hiding-everytime-I-look-and-walking-towards-me-when-I'm-not?" **Cornelia asked.

"**I wasn't stalking you!"**

"**Then what **_**were **_**you doing?"**

"**Uh.. not-stalking-you?" **Caleb stood up. **"I was just.. I wanted to see what you were doing."**

"**Well you could've asked?"**

"**What are you doing?" **Cornelia stared at him with a look that said _you're actually asking me this? _The look faded when Caleb opened his mouth to talk.

"**I was walking." **Cornelia said after raising her hand to make him not talk.

"**To where?"**

"**Nowhere."**

"**You had to be walking **_**somewhere. **_**It would be boring to walk to nowhere."**

"**Well I had no set destination." **They were silent for a moment, before Cornelia looked at the ground and sighed. **"I should get going."**

"**Cornelia, don't keep running from this." **Caleb said, grabbing her arm as she turned to leave. **"Please.. give me another chance?"**

"**Why should I?"**

"**Because I love you."**

"**That's not much of a reason."**

"**It is for me!" **Caleb said, looking at her for a long moment as she tried to avoid his gaze.

"**I'm.. I'm sorry. I've been a.. a total.. jerk to you, and everyone else lately." **Cornelia said quietly, looking at Caleb for a moment. **"I want you to give **_**me **_**a second chance, too."**

"**That works." **Caleb smiled, before pulling her into an embrace, brushing his lips against her forehead before they looked into each other's eyes. **"I love you, Cornelia." **He said, breaking the embrace. **"I have to go now, too. I need to catch up with Blunk."**

"**I understand." **Cornelia said quietly, a light smile playing on her lips. He reached in and gave her another kiss before walking away, a slight spring in his step. A whimsical smile touched Cornelia as she touched her lips, still feeling the kiss on them.

_I love you too, Caleb._


	4. Invited to Dinner

**"Number 14 please make your way to the rink." **The loudspeaker boomed as Cornelia Hale finished tieing the laces on her ice skates. She obeyed, slipping gracefully to the ice rink, spinning in a circle as an opening and moving around the edges of the rink, awaiting the music to begin..

**"Cornelia! You were amazing!" **Hay Lin said in the locker room, and Cornelia grinned proudly at her friends. Will and Cornelia had made up, and Will was giving her a thumbs up.**"I didn't know you were able to do **_**that!" **_

**"Yeah, you were awesome, Corny!" **Irma grinned, and Cornelia nodded appreciatively at her friends, before slanting a glance at the golden trophy.

**"I bet you'll make it to the Nationals!"**

**"What about Internationals?"**

**"And Universals!"**

**"Guys." **Cornelia objected, grinning at them. **"I don't think Universals even exist."**

**"Yet!" **Hay Lin chirped, grinning from ear to ear at her friend.

**"Yeah, well, they don't." **Cornelia said quietly, though her expression was not hard, it was still happy from her win.

--

Cornelia walked towards the Silver Dragon, her long hair pushed behind her shoulders to stay out of her way, her black hat covering most of her face, her scarf wrapped tightly around her neck to protect her from the chill of winter. She slipped in, before going down in the basement to meet up with her friends. They weren't there, but left an open portal. _Of course. _She thought before shaking her head, leaving her behind, like always. She stepped in, before shrieking in surprise as she slid down an ice-covered tunnel. _What the!?_

The gang was waiting at the bottom, and she groaned with pain as her back was quite sore from her less-then-graceful landing. Hay Lin giggled.

**"We have to go and meet Elyon, she invited us for dinner." **Will explained.

**"Mmm." **Irma said, envisioning lots and lots of food.

**"Hm." **Cornelia nodded slightly, before they began walking towards the Royal Castle, not sure of what lay ahead..

_A/N: Sorry it's so short I promise the next chapter will be MUCH longer!! _


	5. Out of Control

((Experimenting with not having bold dialogue.))

They sat at the table, Cornelia closest to Elyon, Caleb across from her. Will was next to Cornelia, Taranee across from Will, Hay Lin was next to Taranee and the seat next to Will was taken by Irma.

Cornelia fiddled with her fork until Elyon looked at her, and she looked up towards Elyon.

"What's wrong?" Elyon asked, looking at Cornelia worriedly, though it only recieved a questioning glance.

"What? Nothing. I'm fine, honest." She smiled at Elyon, and Elyon gave an uneasy smile that stated silently that she did not believe Cornelia.

"This food looks sooo good!" Irma said loudly, diving into her meal with her fork, it seemed. As a reflex, she spat the food back out. "Bleaurgh!" She coughed and wheezed for a few moments, before her cheeks reddened.

"The chef made you a special meal...? Is it okay...?" Elyon asked, concerned.

Cornelia giggled, though stopped when Irma's face seemed to almost be turning.. purple?

"Irma!?" Will asked, grabbing her friends shoulders as Irma went limp. "What the hell..?"

--

Irma lay in the hospital bed, as they had no choice but to bring her back to Earth. All sorts of meters to check her vital signs were hooked onto her, and an oxygen mask covered her face. Her parents stood outside, looking into the window.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but we don't know what's wrong. We are running many tests to see if we can figure out the problem, until then, she is staying in the hospital."

"I.. I understand." Her father said, looking at the nurse wearily, visibly shaken over the sudden decline in Irma's health.

Irma's friends also were there, staring in shock at Irma - who lay limp on her bed. No one understood what happened, in some ways they couldn't believe this /had/ happened. They slipped away, unnoticed.

--

'Elyon did this!" Will said, slamming her hand on the table in anger. "She must be working for someone.. they poisoned her!"

"No! Elyon NEVER would have done that, and you know it!" Cornelia snapped, stepping towards Will.

"Irma is in the HOSPITAL after eating food that your 'wonderful' Elyon /specially/ made for her!"

"Don't speak about the Light of Meridian like that!" Caleb countered, and only earned cold looks from the quarreling girls.

"Is she your newest girl fling?"

"No! Caleb and I are-"

"Oh, you don't honestly think he likes you. He played me already and it's obvious he's using you for leverage to get to the queen!" Everyone stared at Will for a moment, and Cornelia whirled around to Caleb.

"Is that true?"

"No! No, that's not true!" Caleb insisted, but it was obvious that Cornelia seemed to be believing Will, now. It made sense to her, and she took a step towards Caleb - and he did not take it as a good sign. There was a tense moment before her hand slammed into his cheek, sending enough force to knock his head sideways and cause him to stumble backwards a few steps.

Cornelia whirled around once again and was exiting the building, her chin raised proudly and her step short yet quick.

Caleb regained his balance, somewhat disoriented, touching his hand to his reddened cheek from the blow.

Will, surprisingly, looked incredibly guilty as she slumped against the wall, before her eyes darkened slightly. "It seems Cornelia has come to her senses."


End file.
